The Circle of Asian American Literary Studies invites papers addressing theracialization of the Asian subject in works of science fiction. The panelseeks innovative, dynamic readings on the perennial "alienness" of the Asiansubject: whether in overlooked Asian American narratives, placed on themargins for their experimental approaches toward representations of race,sexuality, class etc.; or in fresh, comparativist approaches to the sametopic. Papers might examine a text such as Greg Pak's _Robot Stories_,which uses an almost entirely Asian cast to play overtly with categories ofhumanity and machinery, while leaving loudly unspoken the representation ofrace. Alternately or in conjunction, papers might explore the richracial-cum-special implications of Grace Park's "colorblind" casting as thehumanoid Lt. Sharon Valerii, a Cylon in the current _Battlestar Galactica_. Is the literal dehumanization of the Asian Other in actual effectdehumanizing, and/or perhaps (paradoxically) metaphorically enabling? Whatkinds of permutations to the interracial romance, discourses of hybridityand "hapa" identity emerge from these conceits? Indeed, what happens to thelogics of Orientalism –- i.e., how does one read the bodies of "Aliensineligible to citizenship" –- faced with the inhuman?

Please send an abstract of 250-500 words, accompanied by a C.V., toninh_at_asamst.ucsb.edu, by December 1st, 2006.